Former State Attorney Michael McAuliffe seeks comeback

Former Palm Beach County State Attorney Michael McAuliffe, who left office to take a private sector job before completing his term in 2012, is seeking a return to public office as a Circuit Court judge.

McAuliffe announced today he’s running for the Group 13 seat held by Judge David French, who is not expected to seek re-election in 2018.

McAuliffe was elected state attorney as a Democrat in 2008 and opened a 2012 re-election campaign in 2011. But in January 2012, amid expectations that Dave Aronberg would challenge McAuliffe in a Democratic primary, McAuliffe announced he would not seek re-election and would take a job with West Palm Beach-based Oxbow Carbon, which trades in carbon and industrial products and is headed by Palm Beach billionaire Bill Koch. A few days later, McAuliffe announced that he would leave office before completing his term.

Aronberg ended up running for state attorney and winning in 2012, then getting re-elected without opposition in 2016.

McAuliffe’s wife, Robin Rosenberg, was elected to the Circuit Court without opposition in 2006 and served there until 2014, when she was confirmed for a federal judgeship.

“Public service has always been an important part of my life. I wish to continue to serve the residents of Palm Beach County and that is why I have decided to run for Circuit Judge, Group 13,” Michael McAuliffe said in a release by his campaign today.